MBBS case: Masood moves Delhi HC challenging conviction

New Delhi: A day after his disqualification from Rajya Sabha, Congress leader Rasheed Masood on Tuesday moved the Delhi High Court challenging his conviction and four years sentence in a corruption case. Justice Hima Kohli issued notice to the CBI and sought its response by 13 November on Masood’s appeal. Masood’s counsel HR Khan Suhail also sought suspension of his client’s jail term on medical grounds. [caption id=“attachment_1186599” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  A file photo of former Congress MP Rasheed Masood. IBNLive[/caption] He said 67-year-old Masood is acute diabetic and is taking insulin several times a day besides other medicines for his ailments. He also submitted that the trial was going on against Masood for past 17 years and he is in custody since 1 October when he was sentenced to four years jail by the trial court. Justice Kohli admitted his appeal and asked the CBI to respond to Masood’s plea for suspension of sentence on the next date of hearing, i.e. 13 November. Masood was held guilty by the trial court of fraudulently nominating undeserving candidates to MBBS seats allotted to Tripura in medical colleges across the country from the central pool as Health Minister in the National Front government of 1990. The court had also imposed a fine of Rs 60,000 on him. Masood is the first MP to lose his seat after the 10 July Supreme Court judgement which had removed the immunity for convicted lawmakers. Masood’s conviction and sentencing was the first case after the apex court judgement that struck down a provision in the Representation of the People Act, under which incumbent MPs and MLAs could avoid disqualification till pendency of the appeal against conviction in a higher court. Masood was held guilty of offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating) and 468 (forgery). He, however, was acquitted of the charge under Section 471 IPC (using as genuine a forged document). PTI